


Varrick Land

by MACRA



Series: Pro-Bending Circuit entries [7]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Amusement Parks, F/F, F/M, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-02
Updated: 2018-07-02
Packaged: 2019-06-01 09:56:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15140618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MACRA/pseuds/MACRA
Summary: Happiest place on Earth? Maaayyybe...





	1. Chaperone

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Pro-Bending circuit on fanfiction.net, Season 3 Semi-finals. This was another group story challenge. We were to write a single multi-chapter story set in an amusement park. We ended up writing a set of linked stories centered around the Jinora/Kai relationship. Fortunately, the stories were sufficiently independent that I think mine can stand on their own without the ones from my teammate (due to attrition our team of four was down to two). It makes sense to just post the two stories together for your amazement.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Watching out for the kids ain't easy. Especially in the face of young love.

So the day wasn't off to the greatest start. But before I get into that, I should probably explain what I was doing as a chaperone on a school trip to Varrick Land.

At the time I was in my third year at college. Money was kind of tight for my family, and I've never really been the scholarship type. But a friend of the family back home had a son who was a professor at a small college, and I ended up with an arrangement where I stayed with him and his family for crazy cheap. Tenzin kind of put out this stern front, but he was really a sweetheart underneath, and Pema, his wife, is just a lovely person. They have four kids ranging from pre-school to Junior High, which can sometimes be a bit much en masse, but I'm really fond of them too.

So had my own room in a nice house, living with good people, and not paying much more than my share of the grocery bills. So I kind of got in the habit of doing various favors for Tenzin and Pema to make up for it. Mostly Pema because, well, four kids. And one thing Pema was really, _really_ happy to able to get out of was chaperoning.

If you've never done a gig as a chaperone, it's kind of a mixed bag. On the plus side, school trips are usually to someplace interesting and your admission is either free or really cheap. The downside is that you are in the company of a bunch of kids who you have to make sure don't wander off. Oh, and you've got to ride a school bus. In addition, I had it a bit worse because I wasn't a teacher or a parent, so lots of the rug rats assumed I was a sucker until I proved otherwise. It's probably a judgment for everything I ever did to every substitute teacher in my younger years.

Once a year, Varrick Land puts on what they call "Science Day." Schools from all over the area come, and the kids get these little experiment packets. It's all stuff like "figure out how tall the biggest roller coaster is by measuring its shadow" or "use a plumb-bob to figure out how many g's you're pulling in the Bottomless Pit." The kids are there for like 6 or 7 hours and get all the measurements done in the first 30 minutes. It's very popular.

That year Jinora, who was the oldest, was getting to do Science Day for the first time. The kids go to a small school in a small town, and the school usually decides that it will be cheaper to have all the grades do the same thing. The trips tend to be a bit extra crazy as a result. I offered to go along, and Pema, who gets motion sickness, was very grateful. Now for this trip, I have to admit I had an ulterior motive for going beyond just doing something nice for Pema. The fact of the matter is, my girlfriend Asami, who's a year ahead of me at the college, had been student teaching at Jinora's school for the last few months and was also supposed to be going on the trip.

OK, you can stop looking at me like that right now. I do have a sense of propriety. I have too much sense to engage in passionate necking on a school bus in front of the entire student body. I was just looking forward to being able to sit next to my Sweetie on the hour and a half (each way) ride and having a nice talk. There would probably have been some hand-holding, but that would have been the limit of PDA.

The night before the trip, Asami ended up in the college student health center with food poisoning. Her and everyone else who made the mistake of having the fish for dinner at the Commons. Have I mentioned how grateful I am to not be subjected to cafeteria food?

So, my girlfriend was not going on the trip, because she was at that moment lying in bed with a bucket handy for the next time her stomach rebelled. I was worried about her, although it was probably just a matter of her waiting for it to be over. On a more selfish note, it meant that the trip was down one responsible adult and my best chance for a pleasant bus ride was shot. And sure enough on the way there, I ended up sitting next to a lady who spent the entire time explaining everything that's wrong with how all the _other_ parents raise their kids. Side note: I met her son once, and he's no great prize.

Going through all the little petty dramas that made up the first part of the day would be as tedious for you to listen to as for me to live through, so let's just say that the bus ride pretty much set the tone for my day. I will maintain to my dying day that all this explains why I agreed, against my better judgment, to attempt to assist Young Love.

You see, Jinora met this boy. I'm a little hazy on the details as I think I was busy trying to help this girl Lily find her "lost" bracelet, which it turned out she had not actually worn that day. Sorry, I got sidetracked there. Jinora met this boy, who I later found out was named Kai. He went to a different school that was also doing Science Day. By the time I was aware what was going on, Jinora and this Kai kid were mooning over one another like crazy. And then they started walking off into the park together. Jinora, mind you, is usually the sensible rule-abiding one. I was torn between finding it hilarious and terrifying.

I was raised to be free-range, so left to myself I would have let all of the kids wander off on their own, and let them find me when they wanted lunch. Jinora's school is kind of fussy though on the point of keeping track of everyone, so I was about to go break up this tender scene of truancy when the rest of the kids in my assigned group staged a rebellion. The boy was cute. Jinora was sweet. What did I want to go spoil her fun for? Give the kid a break.

Now Jinora was not "Popular" in that very weird sense that the word acquires in junior high and high school. She wasn't fashionable, and she didn't go out for cheerleading or sports. No one was going to nominate her for Homecoming Queen in a few year's time. But she was nice to everyone, and that meant that she was "popular" in the far duller but more sensible sense that just about everyone liked her. So separating her from potential boyfriend would have put me in the same class as someone who kicked puppies as a hobby.

"OK, ground rules," I said in a rush, keeping one slightly panicked eye on the retreating pair. "We keep them in sight and none of you wander off, I don't break up the happy couple. If she or _any_ of you disappear on me, I call out the dragnet on her and the rest of you get to wait on the bus until she's found." Amazingly, they all went on with it, and what followed was the weirdest game of follow-the-leader that you've ever seen. I'm sure I got spotted a couple of times, but I'm sure I would have been spotted more if she wasn't so smitten.

Fortunately for them, Jinora and Kai actually were taking in the attractions together. If the kids in my charge had been forced into the position of just watching them gaze soulfully at each other, I think their enthusiasm might have dropped sharply, but they got to go on the same rides that lovebirds picked out, so peace was maintained.

Kai even got Jinora to go on the Dragon's Dance, and she hates roller coasters. From a few seats back I watched her clutch at his arm and scream, while he did his best to seem nonchalant and fearless.

"They should go on the Ride of Destiny." I turned to look in horror at the speaker. I think it was Lily, she of the not actually missing bracelet. The damage was done. The consensus was that, of course, this was a perfect idea. The Ride of Destiny is one of the cheesiest ride at Varrick Land, second only to The World of Love ride. A lot of the rides at Varrick Land are just included with the general admission, but some require a separate ticket. I had been given a handful of premium passes, and finally agreed to turn two of them in for tickets for the Ride of Destiny. I refused to go on it myself. One girl, I forget her name so I'm just going to call her Spike, surreptitiously delivered the tickets to Kai, and the rest of us settled in at a snack bar across from the ride's entrance.

While they were on the ride, it broke down. That was the most relaxing part of the entire day for me.

At the day's end, I did go up to Jinora to let her know that she'd better start heading for the exit. I then went on ahead with the rest of the kids, giving her the last fifteen minutes with some actual privacy. Well, not privacy exactly since they were in a crowded amusement park. But maybe no one they knew was watching them for a while. Jinora looked pretty pleased with herself when she caught up with us, so I guess it worked out all right.

Once the bus got back, I went to see my own Sweetie. She looked pretty pale and worn, but she was actually trying a little chicken broth and managing to keep it down. I settled in to watch an old movie on TV with her and fell asleep in the first fifteen minutes.

"That trip must have been something," Asami said to me when I had woken up again. "What tired you out so much?"

"Young Love," I said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took a bonus prompt restriction of "First Person POV." I kind of enjoyed writing Korra's stream-of-consciousness rant for this one.


	2. The Happiest Place on Earth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bolin's first day as a mascot at Varrick Land

Bolin stared at the costume, feeling slightly dazed. _Naga. I'm actually going to get to be Naga. At Varrick Land. Officially._ He'd signed up for the Varrick Mascot School just on a lark. The park had been a good place to make money during his gap year. There was nothing wrong with the hot dog stand where he'd been until last week. But mascot training had sounded fun, and it was only a few nights a week. It was one of those things you'd look back years later and regret not trying. So he'd tried it.

He didn't expect to finish in the top of the class and get the offer to play Varrick's signature character. Well, one of them. He'd always preferred Pabu in the Pabu and Naga cartoons, but Pabu needed someone small who could do a squeaky voice and Naga needed someone big who could do a deep voice. So a woman usually played Pabu, who was a boy, while a man played Naga, who was a girl. Weird, when you thought about it.

The supervisor of the Character Hosts department popped his head into the locker room. "Hey, Bolin. Before you suit up, come with me a moment. Mr. Varrick wants to say a few words."

"Sure thing, Mr. Toza!" After a second or two, his brain caught up with his ears. "Wait a minute. Varrick as in Varrick Land Varrick?"

Toza chuckled. "He always likes to greet any new Pabu or Naga personally." The big man led the way to a small conference room. The only person in it was a girl from the mascot class. Opal, if he remembered rightly. She gave him a shy slightly nervous smile. Bolin smiled back, figuring he probably looked pretty nervous himself.

They sat in silence for a few minutes. Bolin was trying to figure out something to say to break the ice when Varrick swept into the room. The creator of Naga and Pabu. The mind behind Varrick Land. Host of _The Wonderful World of Varrick_. Bolin hadn't expected meeting him to come out of taking the mascot classes. He wasn't sure if he'd have had the nerve if he'd known.

Varrick beamed at them. "Wow, this is quite a day. A new Pabu and a new Naga. Well, I just wanted to say great job. When people think of Varrick, they think of Pabu and Naga. And so when you go out there today, you will be the face of the Iknik Varrick company. Not every class of the Varrick Mascot School produces someone with the style and the heart to do that job, but you two have got it in spades. So welcome and congratulations. And remember, when you're out there, it's up to you to help make this the 'Happiest Place on Earth.'"

Bolin and Opal murmured slightly panicked thank-you's and rose to shake Varrick's outstretched hand.

As Varrick clasped Bolin's hand, he said in a slightly more normal tone of voice. "So, excited?"

Would it be too much to try the catch-phrase on Varrick himself? Bolin decided to chance it. "Yoouu betcha!" he said in his best Naga voice.

Varrick blinked and then a big grin spread across his face. "Pretty good, kid. Pretty good. Just draw the 'You' out a bit more. 'Yoooouuuu betcha!'" Then with a cheery wave, the man swept back out of the room as briskly as he had entered.

Toza nodded at the pair. "OK. You're going to be on balloon duty for the first week, to get you eased in to playing to an actual crowd. After that, you'll go in rotation with the other Pabu and Naga players in the park. Time to suit up, people."

* * *

Balloon duty was pretty simple. You wandered around Four Nations Plaza near the entrance of the park with a big bunch of helium balloons and handed them out. You posed for pictures with little kids. You stayed in character, but the balloons kind of reduced how much clowning you could do.

Opal and Bolin developed a little routine for whenever their paths crossed. She would scurry in a circle around him a couple of times, while he turned around trying to keep track of her, moving a little more slowly as if confused.

There were more older kids than normal for this time of year, because of the whole science thing going on. Several of the teenagers breathed in the helium for their balloons and then said Pabu quotes at him in high squeaky voices. Bolin did his best to play along, but even his memory for the cartoon's dialog got stretched to the limit.

As the various school groups started to leave in the late afternoon, and the park began to empty out noticeably. Fewer people were interested in balloons or pictures at this point. Bolin passed the slack time with people watching.

A boy and a girl walked through the plaza, holding hands. They went back and forth from looking fondly at each other to looking nervously toward the gate. They stopped just shy of the gate and reluctantly let go hands. Suddenly, the boy made a wait-here motion and ran straight up to Bolin. Bolin was so surprised it took him a moment to get back into character.

"Can I get a balloon for my…" The boy hesitated and blushed. "For my new friend?"

Bolin was in the middle of a hearty "Yoooouuuu betcha," and was about to hand over the green balloon the boy had pointed at, when an angry looking man came up and grabbed the boy by the shoulder. The boy missed the handoff, and Bolin was barely able to grab the string again before the balloon rocketed skyward.

The man was apparently a teacher from the boy's school and was upset that he had disappeared from his group for the entire day. The boy explained that he had spent the day with a girl from a different school. Bolin glanced back to the gate and saw the girl looking on in alarm. The teacher then said some very unkind things about the sort of girl who would spend any time with the boy. Bolin watched in alarm as the boy's face darkened in anger, and he decided he'd better do something.

"Whoooaaa, just hooold on there," he said in his best Naga voice. He couldn't really make a stopping gesture with his hands full of balloons, but he swept his arms wide, and that at least pulled in the attention of both the teacher and the boy. He turned to the boy. "I'm just gonna take this over to your young lady," he said gesturing with the hand holding the green balloon.

He made his way across the plaza in a theatrical Naga amble. When he got to the girl he bowed and said "Complements of the young gentleman," as he handed over the balloon. She grinned and blushed as she took it. She leaned to look past him and blew a kiss in the boy's direction. At that moment there was a shout from the parking lot. She took a quick glance out, and then with a final wave at the boy, she dashed out the gate, still smiling, clutching the balloon string in her hand.

Bolin looked back toward the boy and the teacher. The boy had a big grin of his own. The teacher just looked flabbergasted. The boy glanced up at his teacher, stuck his tongue out and then made his own dash for the gate. Bolin sighed in relief.

The relief was short lived as the teacher stalked up to him and started to chew Bolin out for undermining his authority. Bolin made nervous apologetic noises, but the man wasn't having any of it. All of a sudden, a familiar voice said, "What seems to be the problem?" With a sinking heart, Bolin turned to see Varrick himself looking on.

The teacher maybe didn't watch TV that much, because he didn't seem to recognize Varrick as anything more than someone in authority in the park. He began to repeat his grievances to Varrick.

Varrick listened for a moment and then draped his arm around the teacher's shoulder. "I sympathize, buddy. But the young man was just doing his job. I told him myself this very morning that he needed to help make Varrick Land the Happiest Place on Earth. Now, because of Bolin, the young lady was happy and the young man was happy. Now, you're unhappy, but I really don't see what he could have done about that without making more people unhappy. I don't want anyone to leave my park feeling unhappy, but I guess in your case that's just the way it's got to be." He gave the teacher a stern look. "Don't make me call security." The teacher sputtered for a few seconds but took the hint.

While Bolin was trying to think how to thank him, Varrick just turned and gave him an affectionate punch on the arm. "You've got heart, kid. Keep up the good work." And once again, he was gone as quickly as he had appeared.

Bolin passed the last hour before going off shift in a bit of a daze. Fortunately, nothing else out of the ordinary happened. He changed out of his costume in the men's locker room, putting it away carefully in the special wardrobe room. He met a few of the other mascot actors, who all greeted him pleasantly. If any word of his run in had spread through the park, none of them mentioned it, which was just fine with him.

Opal was in the hallway outside of the locker room when he came out. "I saw what you did for those two kids," she said. She didn't really look at him as she spoke. "It was really sweet. I'm glad Mr. Varrick thought so too." She glanced up at him, blushed, and turned to go.

"Hey, Opal," Bolin called out on an impulse. She turned back "Would you like to go get a coffee or something?"

She didn't answer right away, but a smile spread over her face. In her Pabu voice, she said, "Yooouuu betcha!"


End file.
